Family Ties
by Little Miss Dancer Girl
Summary: Kimberly and her best friend Lea live peacefully in a senior center with Kim's grandfather, the famous author P.M. Curtis. But when Kim finds an old theme he wrote nearly 45 years ago, she and Lea find themselves in the middle of unfinished business.
1. A Surprise

I opened my eyes to Lea's happy face towering over me. Her dark brown hair was a mess, and her gold eyes glistened like the sun shining through the window. I instantly knew that she had a plan for this morning.

"Come on, Kim; it's time to get up!" she said excitedly, pulling me out of my bed. "Get dressed now; we have so much to do!"

"…Like what?" I groaned. I preferred to sleep in on weekends, and when I didn't get enough sleep, I was as cranky as hell. I wanted to sleep, not go around causing trouble.

"Just get dressed, Kim. It's a surprise!" she whispered, closing my bedroom door softly behind her. Oh, joy, a _surprise,_ I thought to myself, as I went through my armoire for something decent to wear. According to Lea, a surprise meant pulling pranks around the senior center until the manager, Mr. Martin, would bust us.

You may be wondering why two fourteen-year-old girls are living in a senior center in the middle of Nebraska. When I was very little, only about two years old, my parents died in a plane crash. I could've been put in an orphanage or foster home, but my grandfather asked if he could take care of me. The court placed me in his care, and so I ended up living in the senior center with him. Lea's parents were close friends with mine, and so they let her live with me when we were seven or eight, because they knew that my grandfather still has a job to worry about.

People say I'm a whole lot like my grandfather, the famous author P.M. Curtis. He used to have reddish-brown hair like mine, and we both have greenish-grey eyes. I've always loved to read, and I like to write poems and songs in my spare time. Lea, on the other hand, likes to watch cartoons on TV and pull pranks on people, whether it's on me and my grandfather, the other residents of the senior center, or our teachers and fellow students at school. I kinda feel bad for my grandfather, having to keep an eye on the two of us all the time, but then again, he was pretty good at it. He could always tell if we were up to something, or if something was bothering either of us. He's a really cool grandfather.

I finally picked out an Adele T-shirt, a pair of Aeropostale jeans, and a pair of dark purple Converse high tops. I pulled my shoulder-length hair back into a French braid, put in a pair of faux diamond studs, and at last, clasped my great-grandmother's silver key necklace around my neck. I have never gone a day without it. It brings me luck, and I knew I was going to need it real soon.

When I came downstairs, Granddad was making eggs, and Lea was sitting at the table trying to control her anticipation. She had brushed her hair and straightened it, and she had changed into Abercrombie skinny jeans, a Hollister T-shirt, Ugg boots, and a Forever 21 cardigan.

"Good morning, Kimberly," said Granddad, as he turned around and smiled, his eyes glowing.

"Morning, Granddad." I turned to Lea, and said, "Okay, I'm here. What do you want?"

Her face lit up.


	2. What Is This?

_When I came downstairs, Granddad was making eggs, and Lea was sitting at the table trying to control her anticipation. She had brushed her hair and straightened it, and she had changed into Abercrombie skinny jeans, a Hollister T-shirt, Ugg boots, and a Forever 21 cardigan._

_ "Good morning, Kimberly," said Granddad, as he turned around and smiled, his eyes glowing._

_ "Morning, Granddad." I turned to Lea, and said, "Okay, I'm here. What do you want?"_

_ Her face lit up._

Before I knew it, we were back in the room Lea and I shared. It wasn't all that big, because we were living in a senior center, but Lea and I have somehow managed to fit our belongings in it without running out of space. Each of us had our own bed on either side of the room, and we each had our own armoires for our clothes. Lea liked to hang up Taylor Lautner posters on her side, but I preferred to post the photos I've taken over the years. I had some close-ups of flowers, a picture of a waterfall, one of the sunset over a lake, and even one of Granddad when he was typing a manuscript. My biggest wish was to take enough pictures to cover my side of our room, so I would only see my hard work, not some boring pink wall. Maybe it was a stupid wish, but it would sure be satisfying to look at in person.

Lea reached under her bed and pulled out an old cardboard box. My eyes widened as I spotted what was inside.

"Kim, check this out. It's full of your family's old artifacts," she whispered, pulling out a rather large book. On the aged chestnut-colored leather cover, it said _Curtis Family Album, 1960-1970_ in gold lettering.

I finally came to my senses and snatched the book away from her. "What do you think you're gonna do with these?" I hissed at her, holding the album close to me. "You can't touch these! They're still technically Granddad's."

She rolled her eyes and sighed. "Kim, don't you know me well enough by now to know that I wouldn't dare mess with your stuff?"

"_Granddad's_ stuff," I corrected coldly. What the hell was she up to now, I thought to myself miserably.

"Whatever. His stuff," she said, holding her hands up in mock surrender. "Anyway," she continued, "I was thinking we could blackmail your grandpa with all this crap to let us go to Sybil's party tomorrow night. I mean, really, it's the middle of spring break, and he won't let us go anywhere. It takes a lot of work to get this hellhole jumping," she griped while looking around our room.

I ignored her complaints for a minute and looked at the album cover again. Other than Lea, Granddad was my closest friend. He was the one to taught me how to read and write, the one who would drop everything to play dolls with me, the one who would fix up all of my cuts and comfort me when I was sad… would it really be fair to blackmail him, I asked myself. Even though Lea's my best friend, I just couldn't say yes. If I were to do anything to Granddad, it would be to thank him for making so many sacrifices for me. There was no way on the planet that I would take advantage of the many kind things he's done for me. I shook my head, not saying anything.

"Come on, girl, why not? I've had to tolerate you blabbing about the party since we got the tweet," argued Lea.

"Seriously? Well, two things for you, then: one, that was _you_ blabbing about Sybil's party, and two, I can't _blackmail_ Granddad! Not only did he let _me_ live here with him, but he let _you_ live here, too! Not a chance," I said.

Lea sighed in defeat. "Fine; no blackmailing, and no party," she groaned while standing up. "Since when were you so boring and bland, Kim? What happened to you?"

"I grew up," I merely stated. I took one last glance at the album, and carefully placed it back in the box. I then slid it back under Lea's bed, and stood up. It was a good thing that we were such close friends, because when we get into disagreements, they never grow into fights; they fizzle easily and quickly. Neither of us can stay mad at each other for long.

"Besides, where did you find that box, anyway?" I asked her while we went back down the spiral staircase to the kitchen.

She simply shrugged. "I dropped my mascara earlier. I looked under my bed to find it, and there it was, next to this random big box. When I looked in it, it was filled with your family stuff, so I wanted to show it to you and tell you my plan before I went through the thing."

By the time we sat down and I finished my now-cold eggs, Granddad was already in his office working on his newest novel. Soon, Lea stood up and left for the TV to watch cartoons, so that left me with nothing to do. I decided to go back upstairs to our bedroom to go through the rest of that box. I had a strong feeling that there was something in there that would be useful to recover; I just didn't know what.


	3. Everlasting Memory

_I decided to go back upstairs to our bedroom to go through the rest of that box. I had a strong feeling that there was something in there that would be useful to recover; I just didn't know what._

I pulled out the box from under Lea's bed with newfound excitement. I opened it, my fingers trembling, and held up the family album. I bounced onto my own bed and opened the cover for the very first time. The first picture took up the front page, all small and in black-and-white, but as I looked at it I felt like I was taking the photo with my own camera. Every person in the group had a unique aura coming from them, and it was so easy to tell who was Granddad. He stood in the front, next to a kid about his age, with long dark hair covering his large eyes. Behind them stood three guys; the one in the middle and the one on the left looked like older versions of Granddad, most likely his two older brothers, Sodapop and Darrel, and the guy on the right was wearing the same shirt as the guy in the middle, so I knew they must've been friends. Diagonally in front of Granddad sat another guy with a Mickey Mouse T-shirt. And on the very end stood a guy with a tough expression, his arms folded over his jacket.

The next page had a picture of Granddad and his two brothers standing arm-in-arm with an older man and woman—their parents, I thought. My hand instinctively flew to my necklace, reminding me of when I was talking to Granddad one night when I was five.

"_Granddad, when will Mommy and Daddy come home?" I asked Granddad, my eyes meeting his across the table._

_After a long pause, he cleared his throat. "Kimberly, Mommy and Daddy can't come home," he told me sadly._

_I pouted. "Why not?"_

"_Your Mommy and Daddy are staying with my Mommy and Daddy, their grandparents."_

"_Why can't they come and visit?"_

"_Their situation is quite complicated, Kimberly. I wish they would visit, but they can't," he sighed, his eyes getting that wistful look in them that told me to end the discussion._

I had discovered a few years later that his parents had died in an auto wreck back when he was my age, and his oldest brother Darrel had to take care of him and Sodapop. The thought of having to lose your parents still stung, and I felt hot tears welling in my eyes, so I decided to close the album before I smudged a photo.

Underneath the album I found an aged composition notebook. On the cover, it said _Ponyboy Curtis, Mr. Syme's 10__th__ Grade English Class._ Out of curiosity to see what kind of stuff Granddad wrote, I opened it to the first page:

_When I stepped out into the bright sunlight from the darkness of the movie house, I had only two things on my mind: Paul Newman and a ride home…_


	4. Questions

**Author's Note:**** Merci beaucoup to all who have reviewed, favorited, etc. I appreciate it so much! I'm sorry it's been such a long time since I updated, but I've got school, dance, karate, piano, violin, and my other story, Time and Time Again, to write, too. I promise I'll write as fast as I can without sacrificing my chapter length and quality. Once again—thank you!**

**P.S. I forgot to write a disclaimer for my other chapters, so here it is: I DON'T OWN THE OUTSIDERS, BUT I OWN KIM, LEA, MR. MARTIN, THE SENIOR CENTER, AND ANYTHING ELSE THAT I MAY THROW IN ALONG THE WAY!**

**Enjoy!**

_Underneath the album I found an aged composition notebook. On the cover, it said_ _**Ponyboy Curtis, Mr. Syme's 10**__**th**__** Grade English Class**__. Out of curiosity to see what kind of stuff Granddad wrote, I opened it to the first page:_

_**When I stepped out into the bright sunlight from the darkness of the movie house, I had only two things on my mind: Paul Newman and a ride home…**_

January 29, 2012; 5:30pm

When I got to the same words as the ones I had originally read as the final chapter came to a close, I turned the page, expecting more. What happened to Granddad after that? Did his teacher like it? Did he ever get over Johnny and Dally? My questions, of course, were left unanswered, because all I saw was a blank page, and then the back cover.

I wanted to ask Granddad what happened next, but a part of me warned me not to. What if he didn't remember, or if he was still so shaken up about it that he wouldn't talk to me about it?

My thoughts were shattered, much to my relief, as Granddad called to me from downstairs, "Kimberly! Dinner's ready!" I put the composition notebook back in the box, pushed it under Lea's bed once again, and stood up, deciding that I would ask Granddad about that theme during dinner tonight.

January 29, 2012; 5:45pm

It turned out that we were having Granddad's famous meatloaf tonight, with a side of spaghetti drenched in olive oil; my favorite food since I first moved in. It was just me and Granddad at first, but after about thirty seconds of awkward silence there was a firm knock at the door.

When Granddad opened it, Mr. Martin stood before him, holding Lea by the back of her cardigan. "Mr. Curtis, I believe _this_ is yours," he said in a monotone voice, shoving Lea towards him.

I saw Granddad give Lea one of his death glares, and then turn to Mr. Martin. "I'm sorry, Mr. Martin. I'll keep an even _closer_ eye on her this time," he half-apologized-half-scolded to both Lea and the manager. Mr. Martin nodded sternly in response, and stormed away down the hall.

Granddad closed the door carefully, then turned to face Lea. "Lea, what did you do this time?" he asked, even though it looked like he didn't really care. A prank was just a prank to him.

They both joined me at the table, and Lea's eyes widened. "Meatloaf and pasta! This is the life!" she squealed happily, shoving a chunk of meat into her mouth. She then looked up at me and Granddad, who were sitting politely and patiently, waiting for her to explain her most recent prank.

She swallowed hard and began. "Well, when I was watching SpongeBob earlier, I got this super-cool idea; since it was Geezers-Gone-Wild Bingo today at 2:30*, I could broadcast the F.U.N. song to everyone! Besides, I think Mr. Martin-the-dictator needs a little fun in his drab and boring life as the manager of this prehistoric cave," she explained, completely and utterly proud of her work.

"…But you were intently causing trouble, and causing trouble on-purpose now may seem like no big deal, but it will gradually get worse as you get older, Lea," informed Granddad, his expression like stone.

Lea looked down at her food in shame, and I saw the window of opportunity for my question. "Granddad…?"

He looked up from his meatloaf and met my eyes. "Yes, Kimberly?"

"…What was life like when you were my age?"

**Before I sign off, I want to say sorry one more time. To make it up to you, I will post Chapter 5 in the next few hours!**

***It's not really "Geezers-Gone-Wild", it's just" Bingo", but you know what kind of a person Lea is **

**LMDG3 **


	5. The Feelings Fade Away

**Author's Note****: Like I had promised, here's Chapter 5!**

**Disclaimer: I don't own The Outsiders; only Kim, Lea, Mr. Martin, the senior center, and Onyx. (You will find out who he is very soon!)**

_Lea looked down at her food in shame, and I saw the window of opportunity for my question. "Granddad…?"_

_He looked up from his meatloaf and met my eyes. "Yes, Kimberly?"_

"…_What was life like when you were my age?" I asked nervously._

I glanced over at Lea for a second, and she was intently watching our little conversation. I guessed that was because Granddad and I rarely talked, and if we did, it was to respond to something someone said to us.

There was silence for a while, and I was beginning to regret asking, but then he replied. "In some ways, it was similar to yours… but in others, it was different," he said simply, going back to his spaghetti.

I decided that since he wasn't going to give me anything specific, I would just go out and tell him. "I read your theme for English, and I want to know more about it," I mumbled, looking up at him.

He froze, realization dawning on him. "…Where did you find it?"

My eyes drifted over to meet Lea's and her golden eyes begged me not to bust her, but seeing how I never think things through, I asked her, "Where did you get the box?"

Now Granddad looked over at her. "Lea…"

"Okay, okay! I found the box under my bed, and then I showed it to Kim," Lea said as she stood up. "You went through it?" she asked me.

I merely nodded, but Lea looked shocked. "I was bored, and you were off pulling your Geezers-Gone-Wild prank, so what else was I supposed to do?"

Lea closed her eyes and nodded, clearly impressed at my sudden nosiness. "Good point," was all she said before bringing her dishes to the sink and going back upstairs to our room.

"Granddad, if you want to talk about anything that's troubling you, I'm always here," I offered.

"Kimberly… I wrote that theme right after the incident, when all of my feelings were fresh. That was all at least forty years ago."

"Forty-five, actually. And the incident with my parents isn't all that fresh, either, but my feelings toward it are just as strong as they were when I first found out," I protested. "Do you miss your parents? Do you miss Johnny and Dally?"

Granddad was silent for such a long time; I thought he hadn't heard me. "Of course I miss them."

"…It just isn't as strong now as it was to you then."

"No, I just… you learn to let it go," he stammered. "Your eyes run out of tears, you can't let your grief take over your life… You can't stop living because you lose someone."

I subconsciously noticed his quoting of his brother, Darry. I remembered in the theme, Darry said it to Granddad when Granddad told him and Soda that he was failing English.

"Then why did_ I_?"

He looked at me with concern. "What do you mean?"

I met his eyes, and I resisted against the urge to shrink down in my seat and finish the last of my dinner. An understanding, a memory, passed between us, a memory that I would rather forget, back when I was eight years old:

_I sat on the driveway, drawing with chalk in the pouring rain. Every time I drew a line, it was washed away. I heard Granddad walk up to me from behind me, and I mentally cringed. Lea must've told on me._

"_Kimberly, what are you doing?"_

"_I'm drawing…"_

"_What are you drawing?" he asked sweetly, sitting down next to me._

"…_my family."_

_He frowned. "You didn't draw anything; the pavement's blank."_

"_That's because my family's blank. My parents are dead." I retorted, putting emphasis on the word __**dead**__. _

_Granddad didn't say anything else. He pulled me in close as I let my tears pour out of my eyes like the rain, and I could've sworn that I felt his tears falling on my neck, too._

I was like that for at least another year; I would sulk in the darkness and cry if I wanted to. I hid from everyone else. The only reason I wasn't still like that was because of Onyx.

_I hated recess. Recess was no fun; I had nobody to play with, I thought to myself as I sat alone by the brick wall of my elementary school on a cold fall day._

"_Hey, why are you all alone?" someone asked. I looked up, and there stood one of the boys in my class. Unlike me, who wore all black, he wore pretty white sneakers, blue jeans, and a bright purple sweatshirt. Like all the other kids in my class, he was tan from playing in the sun all summer. His silvery eyes glowed from behind the curtain of his chocolate brown hair as he looked at me in wonder. _

"_Nobody likes me," I stated coldly. He might as well know the truth._

"_Well, I do," he said in a bubbly tone, holding his hand out for me to take it. "Can you play with me?"_

_At first, I shied away from his hand, but then I reconsidered it. He offered to play with me. Nobody else wanted to play with me. I should take a chance for once._

_I then smiled, grabbed his hand, and pulled myself up. "Yeah. I'm Kimberly."_

_His eyes met mine. "That's such a pretty name. I'm Onyx; my name's ugly."_

"_No it's not! It's unique."_

"_What's that mean?"_

"_It means that it's different. It's one-of-a-kind," I told him, proud of my vocabulary._

"_Oh, thanks. Hey, you want to play on the swings?"_

"_I can't pump," I admitted sadly._

"_I'll push you," he offered. Wow, this boy Onyx was so nice to me! "C'mon, race you!"_

I see Onyx, my closest friend at school other than Lea, almost every day now, and I will always be thankful to him for breaking me out of my shell.

"If it weren't for Onyx, I would still be like that," I told Granddad finally, snapping out of my memories.

He nodded. "I think you should get to bed, Kimberly. You look tired," he said, standing up and beginning to clear the table.

"Okay." He was right; I was tired.

January 28, 2012; 9:15pm

It's been almost four hours, and I haven't been able to get Granddad's theme off my mind. I remembered his expression of sadness when I mentioned Johnny and Dallas. I knew that he really missed them.

Then an idea popped into my head: if I could somehow find a way to change how things went in Granddad's theme…

…I could bring Johnny and Dally back.


	6. There's a Party At the Cades'

**Author's Note:****Oh gosh; I just realized that I had originally said it was spring break in earlier chapters before I started the whole date and time thing! I really meant that it was the 28****th**** of January! **

**Also, sorry it took so long again! Writer's block is really annoying But now I have a boatload of ideas, so if I'm not busy, the chapters will come much more quickly!**

**Disclaimer: I only own Kim, Lea, Mr. Martin, the senior center, and Onyx.**

_Then an idea popped into my head: if I could somehow find a way to change how things went in Granddad's theme…_

…_I could bring Johnny and Dally back._

January 29, 2012; 5:30 am

I was already up and out of the shower, and I was about to start going through my armoire for an outfit when Lea stopped me.

"Kim, what the hell are you doing?" she asked me. "I know it's 5:30 and all, but it's the _weekend_. You don't have to get up so early," she mumbled, still half-asleep.

"Oh, yes I do," I said, turning back around and looking for a decent shirt. "We're going to see Onyx."

I felt her hand tense up on my shoulder. Onyx was never really popular, and ever since the sixth grade, when he began having crazy random migraines, people became afraid of him. And of course, Lea followed suit.

"…Why are we going to _his_ house?" she asked nervously. He didn't really have a house; he had one of those I'm-so-fancy-that-even-though-I'm-technically-a-house-you-can-call-me-a-mansion estates because his dad was the head of this big insurance company, but I wasn't in the mood to correct her.

"Because I need both your and his help with something."

"…With what?" she questioned slowly, probably scared at my sudden confidence.

I smiled slyly. "You'll see."

January 29, 2012; 7:00 am

I stepped up to the Cade Family's front porch and rang the doorbell. I felt Lea's eyes staring at me in wonder, but for once it didn't bug me.

Onyx's mom opened the door. "Hello, Kimberly; Lea. Are you here to see Onyx?" she asked kindly. She was just as warm as her son, and apparently, she and her husband were good friends with Granddad.

"Yes, Mrs. Cade," I told her, smiling.

"Well, he's up in his loft again, so…" the three of us then erupted into laughter. There were many times when I would have to go up to his loft and pull him out, and many of them didn't end so well for either of us. We all welcomed the memories.

"Thank you, Mrs. Cade," I said as I headed across the front lawn to Onyx's loft.

When we got there, the door was locked. I glanced back at Lea, hoping for a random brilliant idea from her, only to see her shaking her head in disapproval.

"Well, we tried. Let's go back home," she began, turning around.

I grabbed her by the arm before she could walk away. "No, Lea. I'm not giving up. I need Onyx's help as much as I need yours."

"Why do you need our help again? What sort of weird shenanigan are you gonna get us into?" she asked.

"Compared to your weird shenanigans… pretty unsafe…" I began. She groaned. "…But actually quite logical," I finished.

She shrugged. "Fine," she sighed. She then backed up a few feet from the door and then sprinted up to it…

…But it didn't do the trick.

I then heard a helpless scream coming from inside. I felt my heart pound against my ribcage. "Onyx… he's having another migraine. Come on; we have to do something!" I cried in utter fear.

Lea fished out a bobby pin from her jeans pocket and began to pick the lock as I heard cries and crashing coming from inside Onyx's loft.

She then opened the door, and we both hurried in.


	7. A Different Vision

**Author's note: ****Sorry I haven't updated in a while. I'm packing for a trip to Florida next week, so there won't be any updates from 2/17 to 2/25. However, thank you to all that reviewed, favorited, and alerted! Writing this is fifty times more fun when I have you guys for encouragement.**

**Enjoy!**

**~LMDG:)**

_I then heard a helpless scream coming from inside. I felt my heart pound against my ribcage. "Onyx… he's having another migraine. Come on; we have to do something!" I cried in utter fear._

_Lea fished out a bobby pin from her jeans pocket and began to pick the lock as I heard cries and crashing coming from inside Onyx's loft._

_She then opened the door, and we both hurried in._

When you're severely worrying about your friend who suffers killer headaches, and are hurrying as fast as you possibly can to save him, a spiral staircase made me subconsciously want to be the one with the aches. The steps seemed to stretch out, disintegrating once Lea and I ran over them and reforming ahead of us.

When we had climbed so many stairs to the point where I felt passing out, we reached Onyx.

Onyx Cade was the most loving and admirable guy in the world; he was the type of person who writes letters in longhand and draws pictures of the cherry tree outside his loft with different materials from different perspectives. I felt like dying when I saw him crumbled up in a ball on the far side of the room, making muffled cries and whimpers. He didn't deserve this, just like his grandfather, Johnny… He saved me; why did he have to suffer?

"They've never been this bad before," Lea muttered, careful not to startle Onyx.

Unfortunately, he heard her, and he cowered, trying to cover his face, but I could see the fear in his eyes that seemed to rip my heart in two. "No… don—don't hurt me!" he sobbed, somehow in a trance. "It's not my fault! Stop, please… I can't—"

His ear-piercing screams that followed sent me back to his first attack.

_"Onyx?" I asked, wandering up the staircase to his loft curiously. He said he would get the how-to-draw-plants book and be right back down at the yard with me; why was he taking so long?_

_ When I reached Onyx's studio, my head naturally tilted to the right in curiosity. He was lying face-down on the beige carpet, crying. I walked up to him and crouched down next to him._

_ "Hey, Onyx. What's wrong?" I asked, trying to sound as comforting as Granddad was to me whenever I was sad._

_ Onyx didn't lift his head, but I heard his words. "Flames… burning… there's a fire…"_

_ I may not have fully understood what was going on at the moment, but I pulled him up and into a hug, letting him cry into me until his flames had disappeared. _

Almost replicating what I did back in the sixth grade, I approached him. "Onyx… it's okay," I cooed.

The cloudiness in Onyx's eyes that he would get during a migraine subsided, and he seemed to fall out of his trance. "…Kim?"

"It's me, Onyx," I reassured him, pulling him close. "You're okay now."

I heard Lea go down the stairs; she must've gotten bored. I swear her attention span is even shorter than that of a month-old puppy.

I pulled away to look Onyx in the eye. "What did you see this time?" I asked.

You see, when Onyx gets a migraine, a vision comes with it. Sometimes he'll see flames, and other times he'll be "drowning" in water. I had waited to ask him this because he never told anyone else about the visions; just me.

"It was different this time. There was a man… with some sort of bottle, and he was about to hit me with it… there was a woman, too. She was just laughing in the background. There was blood everywhere." He let that sink in before continuing. "What do you think it means, Kim?"

The truth was that I didn't know. This was very different from the other visions he's had.

But then again… that scene was familiar somehow…

"That's it," I concluded, earning me a confused look from Onyx. "You had a vision of your great-grandparents. They would beat your granddad all the time."

His look morphed from slightly confused to completely flabbergasted. I sighed, and explained. "My granddad knew your granddad, and apparently he wrote a long paper about some things that happened to them one week." I shivered, remembering the detailed script on the aged paper, describing every punch, every slash with a blade, with eerie clarity and precisions. No wonder Granddad became an author; his writing was so freaking good it scared me.

"So I'm guessing he mentioned my grandfather and the… _beatings_?" he asked hesitantly.

I nodded. There was something wrong with Onyx, and I knew that he agreed with me. I knew I had to do something about it before his migraines ate him alive.

But what could I do whan I didn't even know what the problem really was?


	8. My Plan To Get Us All Killed

**Author's Note:**** Turns out, my trip to Florida was postponed to April Break, so I started writing the second I found out! Also, I apologize for the **_**whan**_** in the last chapter; it was supposed to be **_**when**_**! Sorry it's so short.**

**Disclaimer: I don't own ****The Outsiders****; I only own my OCs.**

_ I nodded. There was something wrong with Onyx, and I knew that he agreed with me. I knew I had to do something about it before his migraines ate him alive._

_ But what could I do when I didn't even know what the problem really was?_

January 29, 2012; 7:20 am

Onyx and I met Lea under the cherry tree in front of the loft. She was studying the many lush pink blossoms when we approached her.

Her golden eyes changed their focus from the tree to me when I said, "Lea, it's time I told you my plan."

She sighed as Onyx and I sat down on the grass, facing her. "Okay, then, what is it?" she asked awkwardly.

"I think I know the reason for Onyx's migraines," I began, earning me shocked looks from the two of them. "Onyx isn't really supposed to exist."

"What!" Onyx retorted.

"It's because of your granddad," I explained. "He was killed when he was sixteen, but somehow you and your father exist." He cringed at my words, but I understood why. His father was always on trips all over the world for his job, so Onyx never got to see him very often. It really took a toll on him, not growing up with a father. I think he's found a father figure in Granddad, though, just like I have. "I think that your granddad's death has something to do with your migraines and visions, but I'm not sure what," I concluded.

"Wait, visions, too? When did all _that_ start?" Lea demanded. I mentally kicked myself; that was Onyx's secret to tell, and I just blurted it out to the most talkative girl in all of Nebraska. Why didn't I think things through? You can't just say random secrets to Lea Matthews.

"I see things during the migraines, too," Onyx answered calmly, meeting my eyes. The warmth in them was enough to reassure me that he didn't blame me. "Most of the time I'm surrounded in flames, but on occasion I'm drowning in water instead… This time, though, I had a vision of my grandfather being beaten by his parents. It was as if I were him…" his voice quavered, and I fought the urge to cry as I remembered his description of the scene back in the studio.

"Well…" I continued, attempting to change the subject. "I was thinking that we could stop these migraines and visions if we keep Onyx's granddad alive—"

"—Wait, time travel is impossible, Kim. That only happens in books and movies," Lea protested.

I met Onyx's eyes once again, and an unspoken agreement passed between us. We knew it was possible. Over December break, we came across an article on Yahoo that advertised the world's first time travel machine: the Apple Time Traveler. According to what the article said, it's located in Apple's Factory in Paris under high surveillance and security. It was like something out of Heist Society, an almost impossible heist for a bunch of inexperienced teenagers to pull, but it was our only hope. And chances are that if Dallas Winston had a granddaughter or grandson, he or she would be in Onyx's position, too. In that case, two family trees would be in serious danger, and the Apple was all there was.

"Well, there is the Apple in Paris," Onyx suggested, reading my mind somehow.

"We're gonna need a full-fledged crew in order to steal it, though," I added.

Lea's jaw dropped. "Kimberly Ellice Curtis and Onyx Benjamin Cade, the best of the goodie-goodies on planet Earth, are planning to steal a time machine in Paris?" she asked in awe.

"More like the only time machine. This is our one chance," I reminded her.

Lea scoffed. "Like you even have to ask! I'm in; let's get a crew."


	9. Ask Parent's Permission

**Author's Note:**** Hello again! I just want to say thank you to all of those who have favorited and alerted me and/or this story. Clicking on my reviews for this story and seeing such awesome comments are the fuel to my flame. Enjoy chapter 9! (Chapter 9 already, I'm impressed with myself; I write rather slowly.)**

**Disclaimer: I don't own ****The Outsiders****; I only own my OCs.**

"_Well, there is the Apple in Paris," Onyx suggested, reading my mind somehow. _

_ "We're gonna need a full-fledged crew in order to steal it, though," I added._

_ Lea's jaw dropped. "Kimberly Ellice Curtis and Onyx Benjamin Cade, the best of the goodie-goodies on planet Earth, are planning to steal a time machine in Paris?" she asked in awe._

_ "More like the only time machine. This is our one chance," I reminded her._

_ Lea scoffed. "Like you even have to ask! I'm in; let's get a crew."_

January 29, 2012; 12:30 pm

Lea wasn't kidding when she said that Onyx and I were goodie-goodies. Before embarking on our crazy road trip to save two family trees by stealing a time machine from a world-class security organization, I just _had_ to get Granddad's permission to do so.

When the three of us joined Granddad for lunch, we had planned for one of us to ask him. However, we hadn't exactly established _who_ would have the honor. So when we were sitting at the table eating our cold-cut sandwiches, we had a little silent mental battle via our eyes to determine who would pop the question. Here's how it went:

Lea: _Onyx, you do it. You're the one with the family issues here._

Onyx: _Nuh-uh; you do it. I'm not speaking up._

Lea: _Well, it's not like I'm doing it. The man freakin' hates me; he'll say no. Kim, you do it then._

Me: N_o. Freaking. Way. First off, he doesn't hate you, Lea, and second, he'll get suspicious if it's me_.

Lea: _I don't give a damn; just ask the question!_

Me: _No! I'm not saying you do it, because I agree that he'll say no, but it's not me. And don't you talk to me like that; I'm your best friend! Onyx, you have to ask him._

Onyx: _But I can't!_

Me: _Yes you can._

Lea: _Just do it, Onyx. He's not gonna kill you._

Onyx: _Fine. But if he does kill me, then it's all your fault, Matthews._

Lea: _Hey!_

Me: _Heh heh._

Onyx cleared his throat and spoke up. "Um, Mr. Curtis… you remember that conversation we had about a year ago…"

"Yes; why, Onyx?" Granddad asked, his warm eyes suddenly full of concern. I made a mental note to myself that whatever it was they talked about must have had something to do with the migraines.

"Well, we know why I have these headaches, and we know what to do to stop them, but we—"

"Need my permission," Granddad finished, meeting my eyes. Realization seemed to seep into his expression as he spoke. "Of course. But before you go, you'll need some supplies, correct?"

He stood up, went over to the closet, and pulled out an old backpack made of jean fabric. He walked back to the table and placed it down in front of his plate. "This used to be the backpack I used in high school, but I had your name sewn on it before you were born so it won't get confused with the one back in 1967. You may not know this, Kimberly, but this quest of yours… You were born to do this, Kimberly. This is your destiny, and I know you will be just fine," he told me, smiling.

I was shocked. Granddad knew about this all along? Just then, though, my sense of logic kicked in. If I succeeded, then Granddad would've met me back in 1967 and he would remember everything that happened. He was expecting this since I left the past to come back home, most likely.

"…Thanks," I said lamely, my eyes wandering towards the kitchen floor.

"No problem," Granddad responded seamlessly giving me a little shove towards the stairs. "You should get packing; it's going to be a long journey for you three."

He was absolutely right; it would be.

January 29, 2012; 4:35 pm

I decided to take inventory of all our survival supplies now that everyone was all set.

_Flashlight… check. _

_iPods… check. _

_Cell phones… check. _

_Batteries… check. _

"Hey, Kim! I've got something else for ya!" Lea exclaimed, dashing in and hopping onto her bed. She pulled out an old knife and handed it to me; I took it hesitantly. The blade looked like it hadn't seen the sun (or a cleaning, for that matter) for years. "It's my grandfather's good ol' switchblade," she explained, excitement coloring her voice.

"How'd you get it?" I asked in marvel.

"I was downstairs having a glass of lemonade when your grandfather stopped me and gave it to me. He told me to modify it in some way so it doesn't get confused with the one in the past."

"That makes sense. If your granddad has the same blade back then, it would be smart to change it up a little bit so you'd know it's yours, not his."

"Exactly," Lea giggled. "I'm all done packing my personal stuff. So is Onyx. Are you?"

I sighed "No, I'm still taking inventory of the survival supplies."

Lea scoffed. "Come on, let me finish. You need to pack, Kim," she insisted, pushing me over to my empty suitcase.

January 29, 2012; 10:18 pm

Granddad bought us McDonalds that night and brought our meals up to our shared bedroom for me and Lea and the guest room for Onyx. I was finally going through all my stuff and checking off what I needed.

_Shirts… check._

_Jeans… check._

_Undergarments… check._

_Sweatshirts… check._

_Shoes… check._

Now I was finally ready. I needed all my sleep in order to be at my best tomorrow, when we start off on our road trip. My breath slowed, and my eyes closed. Here we go…


	10. My Wild Horseman

**Author's Note:**** I've been planning how the next few chapters will go ever since I've started writing this story, so they won't take as long as they usually would unless my schedule slows me down. Please vote in my poll on my profile when you can; it would be a great help to me and my writing (so, in a way, it kinda helps you, too). Thanks!**

**LMDG:)**

**P.S. The name of the horse is dedicated to ThatNerdyFashionista, and although it may make no sense, it does to her, me, and Kyokitty 4ever, and I just had to put it in somehow.**

**Disclaimer: I don't own ****The Outsiders****; I only own my OCs, and in the next few chapters, there will be **_**many**_**!**

_Now I was finally ready. I needed all my sleep in order to be at my best tomorrow, when we start off on our road trip. My breath slowed, and my eyes closed. Here we go…_

January 30, 2012; 6:15 am

Our goodbyes were quick, because we wanted to get to our first house as soon as possible. First Lea and Onyx gave Granddad hugs and hold him they were going to miss him; then it was my turn. I walked up to him, unsure of what to say, but then he pulled me into a hug and whispered in my ear like he did when I was a little girl.

"I have faith in you, Kim. I'm so proud of you."

I felt the sting of tears welling in my eyes as those words took my heart and threw it in a shredder. Hearing Granddad say those words to me… knowing that he was there in the past for me to save Onyx and will be back home waiting for me to come home in victory... the feeling was unimaginable. I wrapped my arms, which were weak and frail in comparison to his, around him tightly, wishing that I didn't have to go. I wanted to be here and now in the safety of his company; why couldn't I have that?

I heard the roar of the van that Onyx offered to drive with his nice, new driver's license (he just turned sixteen—I was so extremely jealous because my sixteenth birthday wasn't for another five months), and I felt Granddad's embrace slacken. It was time for us to go. I kissed Granddad on the cheek, hoping it was enough, seeing how I was too choked up on my tears to speak, and sprinted against the brisk winter wind to a seemingly endless journey to 1967.

January 30 2012; 6:45am

Earlier that morning, we had planned out our route. Our first stop would be in Colorado, at my cousin Jeremy's ranch. We would get there by around four that afternoon if we left a little after six in the morning; then we would be there until after dinner and drive off to Chicago, Illinois, where Camryn Randle apparently lived with her parents in an apartment complex. We didn't have the times (or other stops, for that matter) planned out yet for that part, but hopefully we would by the time we got to Jeremy's.

About a half hour into the trip to Colorado, we were extremely bored with the awkward silence that hung in the air. In a desperate attempt to break the ice, I plugged in my iPod and played my favorite playlist. I had no idea that the stereo's volume was up way too high; the second I pressed play, the van literally began to shake to "Rumour Has It" by Adele. That was the last time I ever played anything without checking the volume, because I was sure my eardrums had shattered after that _even more_ awkward experience.

January 30, 2012; 3:57pm

After being on the road for hours on end, it was such a relief when we pulled up to Jeremy's ranch. It felt so good to be on solid ground; we had been cooped up in that van since our last stop at a gas station at around two.

I hadn't seen him since Thanksgiving because he had a horseback riding competition. 16-year-old Jeremy was the kind of guy who always had your back, and now that I think of it, he was a lot like his grandfather, Sodapop, who lived with Jeremy, his parents, and their 3-year-old daughter, Macy. Jeremy's parents met through a competition in Arizona, and so they decided that their passion for horses would most certainly be passed down to their son by making him take lessons and attend competitions just like they did. It was a good thing he loved horses, or I wouldn't know how he would've managed in that setting. Other than Granddad, he was the closest one to me in my family.

The Curtis ranch in Colorado was _huge_, and I'm not exaggerating. Their property took up at least four acres, their house covering about one of them. A huge wave of nostalgia washed over me; Granddad and I would come here for Thanksgiving and Christmas every year.

I turned around and saw Onyx's and Lea's eyes, which were wide in shock, but they sucked it up and followed me when I turned and approached the fence to the riding grounds.

Just then, a rider cantered out of the trees atop a beautiful chocolate brown stallion. The rider and the horse leaped over each jump on the grounds, but then they slowed down and trotted over to us when the rider spotted us. When the rider removed his helmet, I saw the happy face of Jeremy Curtis. He tied his stallion's harness to the fence and, to my surprise, pulled me off the ground in a bear hug.

"Good lord, Kimmy, I missed you!" he gasped in his jolly country twang.

"Missed you too, Jer," I replied with a grin when he put me down.

"So… what brings you here?" he asked, motioning for us to follow him as he led his horse back to the stables.

I waited until we were in the shade of the stables before answering. "Long story, and I have to explain to the family all together."

"That important, huh?" he sighed, noticing the sudden solemnness of my tone. "Well, can you at least introduce me to your buddies here?" he smirked as he took the leather saddle off his horse.

"This is Lea Matthews and Onyx Cade. Their grandfathers were friends with ours back when they were our age," I explained.

Jeremy shook their hands eagerly. Onyx smiled at him like the sweetie he is, but for some reason, Lea just nodded, which was a bit out of character for her. Maybe it was the day on the road that made her like this; I wasn't exactly sure.

"Who's this?" Onyx asked curiously. I don't think he's ever seen a horse in person before.

Jeremy smiled brightly; talking about horses was probably his second favorite thing to do besides riding them. "Ah, this is Butter. I know, funny name… but it just fits 'im, you know?"

Onyx and I nodded in understanding. I knew what he meant; Jeremy was crazy like that.

Lea just yawned and said, "Well, I'm gonna go inside and look for a bathroom. Emergency," before dashing off.

Yeah, the road definitely did something to her.


	11. All In My Head

**Author's Note:**** Yeah, this took WAY longer than I had hoped to, but I had to help my little brother with his account. R&R for "hunter rubyblade", cuz that's him. He's on my favorites list, if you want to read what he's written so far.**

** Disclaimer: No, I do not own ****The Outsiders****, but I do own Kim's crew, Macy, James, and Amy Curtis, thank you very much.**

"_Who's this?" Onyx asked curiously. I don't think he's ever seen a horse in person before._

_ Jeremy smiled brightly; talking about horses was probably his second favorite thing to do besides riding them. "Ah, this is Butter. I know, funny name… but it just fits 'im, you know?"_

_ Onyx and I nodded in understanding. I knew what he meant; Jeremy was crazy like that._

_ Lea just yawned and said, "Well, I'm gonna go inside and look for a bathroom. Emergency," before dashing off._

_Yeah, the road definitely did something to her._

January 30, 2012; 4:10pm

We had all gathered around the marble island in Jeremy's kitchen in the tall, black bar stools, waiting for his parents and Sodapop to join us. Jeremy's little sister, Macy, sat on his lap, grinning at me and asking me, in my opinion, far too many questions. I wasn't in the mood to answer, but we seldom saw each other, much less even talked.

"Are you in any of Uncle Ponyboy's books, Kimmie?" I shrugged. Not so far.

Macy's gaze shifted from me to Lea. "Do you and Lea really live together?" I nodded.

Her brown eyes focused on me again, this time with glee. "Do you guys really live in an _old people_ house?" I wanted to pinch her. A senior center wasn't an 'old people house'. I didn't care that she was three; she should at least know _that_.

She then pointed to Onyx. "Is he your _boyfriend_?" she asked with an entirely straight face.

I wanted to bag her in with some horse feed and toss her into the stables right then and there, but Jeremy gave me that look. I felt myself blushing, and Onyx shook his head no, also beet red. He was my friend, and even if I liked him, there wouldn't be any time for romance. Onyx wasn't supposed to be alive right now.

Much to my relief, Jeremy's parents and Granddad's brother walked in.

Sodapop Curtis's looks were easily visible in his son, James. They both had that Hollywood look to them, and they had the same reckless brown eyes. James's wife, Amy, had soft brown curls and warm hazel eyes. Jeremy was so obviously a perfect mix of his parents, because he had his father and grandfather's eyes, his mother's hair, and a smile all his own. Macy had her father and grandfather's movie-star looks, her mother and brother's hair, and big, green eyes which I figured came from our great-grandparents, but were only visible in my grandfather somehow. They were such a perfect-looking family, I thought to myself. I, on the other hand, looked nothing like Lea, and all I shared with Granddad was our eyes, because his hair was now silver. At least they looked like a family.

"So, Kimber-ama, I hear you came all this way to tell us something?" Uncle James asked me. I noted his use of my childhood nickname, Kimber-ama, which was back from my blowing-up-my-barbie-dolls days.

I cleared my throat. "Yeah. I need Jeremy's help with something, and I need your permission," I answered truthfully, wondering how they'll possibly believe my crazy story.

Aunt Amy looked concerned. "And what do you need Jeremy for?"

I hesitated, trying to use my words wisely, but then Lea spoke up. "We need Jer-bear here to help us get this time machine in Paris so we can save Johnny Cade and Dallas Winston from dying so Onyx and whoever Dallas's grandkid is from burning up," she said nonchalantly, almost a bit annoyed, as if we were just asking permission to go to the mall or something, and we were just told no.

After a long, uncomfortable silence, our eyes all drifted to Soda and James. They glanced at each other, and then Soda spoke. "Jeremy, you can go with Kim and her friends, but there's no sitting on the fence with this. This is life or death, and in order to be of any help to 'em you gotta fully commit, okay?"

Jeremy solemnly nodded, which surprised me. Jeremy Curtis, growing up… impossible.

"Well, Kim, it looks like we got our fourth member of team 1967," Onyx announced, trying to stifle a grin, but epically failing, of course.

"Team 1967?" I asked, cocking an eyebrow like Granddad did. "Really?"

Lea snorted, and said, "Yeah, really, Kim; we gotta have a cheesy team name before we all try to save lives," her voice dripping with sarcasm.

We all laughed at that.

Ah, one down, three to go… then we're off to France. I was beginning to think this was starting to look like some silly piece of fiction…

…Impossible, and 100% imagination.


	12. Jeremy's POV: Pudding and Blackmail

**Author's Note:**** I really find it so rude to ask for reviews, but they seriously make my day. I published Chapter 11 a while ago, and NO NEW REVIEWS POPPED UP! It's not only frustrating to think that nobody's reading your story, but it also makes you wonder if anyone even liked that chapter you worked hard on to write and upload. **

**I also understand that I haven't updated for my other story, Dawn's Destiny: One of Us, but that's because I'm planning it out and writing drafts! The chapters will be out soon; I haven't given up on it!**

**I'm writing this chapter in Jeremy's POV because this is when Kim is asleep. Every once in a while, I'll write a chapter in a POV other than Kim's, just to keep things in perspective and fresh. **

**Ya know, I haven't put in a disclaimer recently, so I will now:**

**DISCLAIMER: I don't own ****The Outsiders;**** S. E. Hinton made everything and everyone up, except for my OCs and the plotline!**

**Well, enjoy!**

_Kim's POV_

_Ah, one down, three to go… then we're off to France. I was beginning to think this was starting to look like some silly piece of fiction…_

_ …Impossible and 100% imagination._

January 31, 2012; 2:47am

Jeremy's POV

I couldn't sleep.

Grandpa had entrusted me with his life, Kim and her friends' lives, and the lives of whoever we were gonna recruit. I can barely even handle my own life.

Before we all hit the sack, Kim, Onyx, Lea, and I were all talking about our route to Paris. In the morning, we're gonna head out to Chicago to recruit Camryn Randle, the granddaughter of Grandpa's best friend.

Then, we'll be going to Deland, Florida, to recruit Connor Winston, who according to Kim, was the one other than Onyx with the family tree issues.

Lastly, we'll go up to New Hampshire to recruit Skylar Curtis, Kim's cousin as well as mine.

I had no idea we needed this many people, but Kim insisted that everyone had to come along. She seemed nervous, but Kim Ellice Curtis is never, _ever_ nervous. It's just not right.

After about twenty minutes of staring at my ceiling, I decided to get up and get something to eat. Maybe after eating something I'd be sleepy enough to go back to bed.

I opened the door to the fridge, and pulled out a container of chocolate pudding. I must say, I am absolutely addicted to chocolate. Maybe it's in my genes, seeing how Grandpa and his brothers would eat chocolate cake every morning for breakfast.

I sat down at the counter and ate my pudding in silence, until I heard a voice coming from behind me.

"So, Jeremy Curtis is your name?"

I turned around, swallowing a spoonful of pudding in my mouth, and saw Kim's friend, Lea, with a venomous glare in her eyes. I simply nodded, not wanting to tick her off.

"Hm. You and Kim seem to be pretty close, huh?"

I gulped. "Uh, yeah, I mean, we _are_ cousins," I said nervously, going back to my pudding. I was suddenly fascinated with the smooth texture of the chocolate substance…

"Uh huh, and so you must _really_ _care_ about her," she stated, slight annoyance building in her voice.

"Yeah, I do."

"Well then. If you care so much about Kim, then you'll leave her alone. I'll be her best friend, and in return, you get to be the jokester. Deal?"

Her words surprised me. Was she… jealous? Kim's my freakin' _cousin_. Lea shouldn't worry about me ever taking her place.

"…And if I don't follow along with this _plan_ of yours?" I then asked, matching her tone. She's not the only one here that can seem manipulative. Emphasis on _seem_, too.

"You're not the only one who can pull a decent prank, Jer-bear," she coaxed, using my pet name from earlier. "There may be an… _accident…_ of sorts, and you, unfortunately, would have to go home and not come with us. And I wouldn't go and tattle-tale to Kim, because my hand slips sometimes—" she pulled out a switchblade. "—and the… _accident_ would be much worse."

And I thought what she said _before_ that was bad. This was terrible. This was blackmail. I was powerless.

And Jeremy Curtis does _not_ like to be powerless.


	13. Nightmares

**Author's Note:**** Thank you to all who reviewed! As a reward, I'm updating a little earlier than I usually would. You guys are wonderful, and you are all great fuel for my flame.**

**I still need votes for my poll! THere aren't any yet, and I can't even draft chapter 15 without at least 20 votes.**

**Thank you, and enjoy!**

**Disclaimer: I own only my Ocs and the plotline, absolutely nothing else is mine (unfortunately...)**

_Jeremy's POV:_

_And I thought what she said _before_ that was bad. This was terrible. This was blackmail. I was powerless._

_And Jeremy Curtis does _not_ like to be powerless._

Kim's POV:

January 30, 2012; 6:30 am

I woke up in a cold sweat. I had another dream about Granddad. It's been the same dream since I read his theme.

_He was standing in a graveyard, in front of his parents', Dallas', and Johnny's graves, wearing his usual black and gray attire, his eyes as dull as the heavily clouded sky overhead. There was a woman wearing a black cloak, the hood over her head to mask her face, approaching him ominously from behind._

_Then she shot a black arrow through his chest, and he collapsed to the ground, dead._

Onyx, who was sleeping on the floor only a few feet away from my blow-up mattress, noticed my muffled sobs and climbed into bed with me, holding me tight in his arms as I would with him when he would suffer from a vision.

"Same?" he asked me, knowing what I've been facing the last few nights.

I nodded weakly and buried my face in his soft bedshirt, which absorbed my tears.

We stayed like that for a while, me mumbling crazy things about murderous cloaked archer women, and Onyx rubbing my back, reassuring me that it really was just a dream. It was rather comforting, to be honest.

By the time I had quieted down and was calm enough to go downstairs for breakfast, Onyx's shirt was soaked. He stood up and removed his shirt, and my head plunged onto my pillow once again, hoping to get my act together before facing my extended family.

On the way out to the bathroom to change, Onyx said, "Kim, these dreams of yours are starting to freak me out even more than my visions..." His voice echoed as he headed down the hall, leaving me with my thoughts. For a second, I was desperate to find something for my mind to cling to, for something to ponder. Granddad always said I'd inherited his way of thinking, as I'm always in my own world.

I looked to my side. Lea was still asleep, curled up on her own blow-up mattress. My heart soared.

Lea, now she was starting to worry me. I could tell that Jeremy hadn't made a good impression on her yesterday. Ever since we arrived at the ranch, she's become more irritable, tired, and suspicious towards him. If we're to go all the way to Paris together, I can't have them fighting.

I hastily slapped some clothes on and wove my hair into two braids, then went downstairs for breakfast.

Turns out, James and Amy weren't up yet, but Jeremy, Macy, and their grandfather were, with Macy seated in her highchair and the two others preparing pancakes, or as Amy calls them, flapjacks.

Jeremy turned around and gave me a weak smile, then went back to cooking with Soda. I noted that his eyes had lost their energetic glow, and were replaced with worry. I wondered what it was about, but I was quickly interrupted by Macy clapping in her chair and babbling happily at my arrival.

"Hi-hi, Kimmie!" she said, her cute eyes focusing on mine.

"Hi-hi, Macy-girl," I replied, using her funny greeting, but with more solemnity.

I sat down next to her, staring down at the empty table. I wasn't sure how long it was, but eventually James and Amy came down, with Lea right behind them.

We were about to eat when Lea and I met each other's eyes with concern, something we hadn't done in a while now. "Where's Onyx?" I finally asked.

Then the truth hit me. I excused myself and dashed upstairs, holding back tears.

I was a tornado, speeding around and foraging through every nook and cranny for the lost Onyx, destroying the ranch's second floor in the process.

Then I passed by a window. Onyx was outside, petting Butter the horse. Although he was pretty far away from the window, I could still tell he recently suffered from a vision. His usually silver irises were now black, and his tanned face was now pale, yet he looked intensely calm with the horse. I sighed a breath of relief.


	14. Bet 'Cha Didn't See This Coming!

**Author's Note:**** Thank you to all of my awesome reviewers! I love your support!**

**However, I still need votes in my poll. There's only one, and nobody's voted for a **_**while**_**. Please, if you want chapter 15, you must vote! I can't draft it without any POV, unless you want to read something very boring and bland. Trust me; it's to **_**your**_** benefit!**

**Please, thank you, and enjoy!**

**Disclaimer: I own only my Ocs and the plotline!**

* * *

><p>January 31, 2012; 7:07am<p>

_Then I passed by a window. Onyx was outside, petting Butter the horse. Although he was pretty far away from the window, I could still tell he recently suffered from a vision. His usually silver irises were now black, and his tanned face was now pale, yet he looked intensely calm with the horse. I sighed a breath of relief._

January 31, 2012; 7:12am

I initially wanted to let Onyx recover by himself, but then my conscience got to me. I couldn't just leave him, just as I couldn't blackmail Granddad.

So, I found myself approaching him, opening the old wooden fence, walking through the tall grass.

His eyes met mine, and for a second, I felt a shiver run up my spine. I realized that I had never looked Onyx in the eye after any of his visions. His eyes were cold and hurt, not at all the kind and somewhat warm ones when he asked me to play with him during recess all those years ago.

When I was about a meter away from him, I stopped. I don't know why.

Butter noticed my presence and left for the grassier grazing hills. Onyx spoke.

"Kim?"

"Yeah?" I responded, my eyes drifting to the cherry tree that was over by the fence. The cherry tree is kind of like the Curtis family symbol, because at Skylar's house, they have two cherry trees, and even in our suite Granddad keeps a painting of one above the fireplace. What I didn't understand was why Onyx's family treated them with such reverence too.

Onyx's eerily calm voice shook me out of my drifting thoughts, just as it always did, and I looked into his eyes again. "What's the best kind of love?"

I remember our old English teacher back in the seventh grade asked us that same question on the last day of school, her last day as a teacher altogether because she was retiring. She had talked about all kinds of love, but she believed it was a tie between destined love and forbidden love, saying that even the two could be the same thing sometimes.

I found it hard to answer, not only because I was worried that Onyx had another out-of-the-ordinary vision, but that Macy's question about us being a couple seemed to bounce back at me. "Uh… forbidden, I guess—"

I was cut off, to my surprise, by Onyx's lips. I remembered that in romance novels and movies, couples closed their eyes during a kiss, so I squeezed mine shut and tried to calm my racing thoughts.

_Onyx Cade is kissing me._

_I, Kimberly Curtis, am kissing Onyx Cade._

_What the hell do I do now?_

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><p><strong>Sorry it's so short, but I need to check my poll to start drafting chapter 15. Hopefully, it will have a decent amount of votes…<strong>

**I would love reviews right now! Do you think Kim/Onyx has potential? I won't give anything away, but I'd love to hear what you have to say, and I'm sure your fellow readers would love that, too.**

**Thank you very much!**

**LMDG:)**


	15. In Need of Time

**Author's Note: ****Okay, I have decided that chapter 16 will be in Onyx's POV and chapter 17 will be in Camryn's. Later on, I'll include Ponyboy's. (If you didn't know, they were the top three on my poll—thank you for voting!)**

**Also, when I write the time, it's the time according to where they are. If it says 10:35 when they're in Paris, that's the time in Paris, not in America. I will be using Ponyboy's POV later on (taking place in America 2012 while Kim's in either France 2012 or America 1967), so the times will be a little jumpy.**

**Thank you, and enjoy!**

**Disclaimer: I own only my OCs and the plotline!**

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><p>January 31, 2012; 7:12 am<p>

_I was cut off, to my surprise, by Onyx's lips. I remembered that in romance novels and movies, couples closed their eyes during a kiss, so I squeezed mine shut and tried to calm my racing thoughts._

_Onyx Cade is kissing me._

_I, Kimberly Curtis, am kissing Onyx Cade._

_What the hell do I do now?_

January 31, 2012; 5:24 pm

The whole drive to our hotel where we'd be spending the night was irritating some pop songs coming out from the radio. I stayed out of the whole Lea-and-Jeremy-don't-like-each-other issue, and I kept my eyes averted from Onyx.

All of a sudden, a new song played:

_You're insecure; don't know what for_

_You turn heads when you walk through the door_

_Don't need makeup to cover up_

_Being the way that you are is enough_

I wasn't sure about Onyx anymore, to tell the truth. I mean, he is one of my best friends, and I care about him a lot for sure, but I didn't know if I was really up for a romantic relationship right now. There wasn't any time, anyway, for something like that. We all had to stay focused on getting our crew together.

But why was my conscience screaming at me otherwise?

_Baby you light up my world like nobody else_

_The way that you whip your hair gets me overwhel—_

I reached over to the radio and turned it off, not caring what the others would say about the silence. I was sick of all these kissy-chrushy love songs.

I glanced out the window. My head was still spinning from this morning. When he had kissed me, I just pulled away and meekly apologized. It obviously wasn't what he wanted to hear, but he said nothing. I then simply turned around and awkwardly went back inside to eat my breakfast.

The sun was just starting to set in the distance, rays of gold and pink cascading from the West, giving everything a soft silhouette. It reminded me so much of Granddad. I missed him so much.

However, he'll be waiting for me in Tulsa. Not necessarily knowing who I am, but still there. I reassured myself that I'll see him soon.

January 31, 2012; 9:38 pm

I did everything I could to fall asleep early tonight, but whoever was in charge of that field in the universe just conveniently decided to be a real jerk.

I felt a shift coming from behind me on the bed. I then heard Onyx's voice. He must've come in from his room in the suite.

"Kim… you awake?" he asked in a whisper, his voice shaking.

I turned over to face him so I wouldn't have to talk. I felt my ears heat up as I looked at him in the dim light from the bathroom, which I preferred to keep on. His silvery eyes were pleading underneath his messed up hair. Half of me wanted to run my fingers through it and the other half wanted to turn back over and pretend that he wasn't there. I just stayed still.

"I'm sorry," he said, which was quite a surprise. "I just… I really like you, Kim, and I wasn't sure of what to do."

There was a very awkward silence as I just stared at him, unsure of what to say.

"You don't have to listen to me anymore, if you don't want to. You can just turn back over and hate me; it's okay," he mumbled while snaking out of the bed, most likely taking my silence as rejection.

By the time he got to the door, I found my voice.

"No, Onyx Cade… It's not okay," I said firmly. "I'll always listen to you, and I'll never hate you; you know that more than anyone. I just don't know about the whole love thing right now because of this whole shebang, but… I need time to think about it."

He waited a few seconds, and then nodded. I could've sworn I saw his eyes tear up a bit underneath his curtain of hair; I wasn't sure if it was out of relief or disappointment, but I was too frustrated with my lack of sleep to care.

He then left without another word.

To get my mind off of him, I pulled out my cell phone from under my pillow. I checked the calendar. January 31, 9:45 pm. Tomorrow will be the first day of February already. We needed to hurry up.

I closed the phone and tried again at sleep. Once again, I failed.

A crazy idea popped into my head right then and there. We're in the city. I could find Camryn and bring her here by 11. We could subtract a whole day off our schedule.

There was no fighting it. I hopped out of bed and threw on some jeans, a T-shirt, combat boots, and a fleece jacket, not giving a crap about my hair or face.


	16. Onyx's POV: Heartbreak Hotel

**Author's Note:**** I seem to be getting better at updating quickly! I think it's because the ideas are coming to me faster than before, since the story is actually in motion now.**

**No reviews for chapter 15? I thought you guys liked Kim/Onyx, and come on, I even put in One Direction for you all!**

**Hate to be snooty, but reviews make me a better writer. They tell me if I'm going in the right direction with the story: enough action, romance, and humor, if the characters are good, if the plotline makes sense, etc. Fewer reviews = suckier writing, to tell you the honest truth.**

**Kay, so enjoy!**

**Disclaimer: I only own my OCs and the plotline!**

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><p>January 31, 2012; 9:45 pm<p>

Kim's POV:

_A crazy idea popped into my head right then and there. We're in the city. I could find Camryn and bring her here by 11. We could subtract a whole day off our schedule._

_There was no fighting it. I hopped out of bed and threw on some jeans, a T-shirt, combat boots, and a fleece jacket, not giving a crap about my hair or face._

Onyx's POV:

Deep breaths, Onyx. Deep breaths.

What the hell was wrong with me? Kim only saw me as her friend. My kissing her totally threw her off, and then just talking to her now made things even worse.

Why was I so messed up? I mean, I'm not supposed to be alive right now, and now I'm in love with my best friend. Life sucks.

I shut my eyes and desperately tried to sleep, but I couldn't.

Then another vision came.

_I was sitting in a park, next to a boy who looked disturbingly like Kim. I assumed it was her grandfather._

"…_I killed him. I killed that boy," I found myself saying._

_Kim's grandfather looked at me with Kim's eyes and the same expression she had when she was scared. I felt a shiver run up my spine. They could've been twins._

"_What're we gonna do? They could put you in the electric chair for this!" he whisper-yelled. Heh, the electric chair. Nowadays, murder can be justified with the death penalty. Here it seems as if you can get away with anything._

"_We gon' see Dallas," I said. "He'll know what to do."_

I suddenly came to. I was covered in sweat and panting. And I remembered Kim. My heart broke just a little bit more.

I turned over and looked at the clock. 6:28 am.

"Aw, shucks," I muttered to myself. That vision lasted through the whole night and into the morning.

Then Jeremy walked in, all dressed and eating a granola bar. He smirked when he saw me. I sat up.

"Mornin'. 'Nother one of them wet dreams, huh?" he joked. Although he knew about my visions, he still was a bit of a pain in the ass about it.

I simply rolled my eyes and crawled out of bed. I was dead tired.

February 1, 2012; 6:35 am

Turns out, Kim had brought Camryn Randle to the hotel after I had left her room. She was a small girl, maybe ten or eleven years old, with big blue eyes and straw-like hair. She wore large cargo pants that were tucked into black Osiris sneakers, and a huge aviator jacket that swallowed her figure like a black hole. I noticed that she had face makeup over a scar on the right side of her forehead that probably came from a blade (which was probably thanks to one of the girls—the makeup, not the scar).

Kim had a similar scab on her left cheek and wore black gauze over her palms and wrists. I chose not to ask about that stuff. I still couldn't stand talking to Kim without flinging into her arms.

"This is Camryn," Kim said when we were all seated at the table in the suite's kitchen. Camryn shyly nodded, her eyes focusing down.

There was an awkward silence, and then Kim continued. "Now we can start off early to Florida… so yeah."

Lea smirked. "Well, I guess we should all introduce ourselves, since we're going across the world _and_ back in time together." She held out her hand and said, "My name is Lea Matthews."

Jeremy followed suit. "Jeremy Curtis, at your service," he said, bowing his head.

"I'm Onyx Cade," I murmured nervously. I sucked with words.

Kim smiled. "And you know who I am."

"Yes," Camryn agreed. Her voice was a bit like Kim's, but softer and more childlike. Kim's voice, in comparison, was darker, harsher, it reflected how deeply she viewed things.

Whoah, I gotta stop thinking about Kim! She's plaguing my every thought.

"Let's try to save as much time as possible," Kim then said solemnly, standing up. "We need to get to Paris as soon as possible. Let's get out of here."

The rest of us weren't up for an argument.


	17. Camryn's POV: One In the Dark

**Author's Note:**** I know it's been a while, but I've been thinking about what to do with Camryn, and so here is a chapter in her POV.**

**Enjoy, and let me know how you feel about my other POV chapters by reviewing or PM-ing!**

Onyx's POV:

_"Let's try to save as much time as possible," Kim then said solemnly, standing up. "We need to get to Paris as soon as possible. Let's get out of here."_

_The rest of us weren't up for an argument._

Camryn's POV:

February 1, 2012: 4:51pm

I sat at the window, but I couldn't see outside. I stared forward, but saw no seat. This morning, when everyone introduced themselves, I didn't shake their hands or make any eye contact.

Yeah, that's right. I'm blind.

But nobody, not even Kim, seemed to know. I suppose I look normal enough not to cause suspicions.

Everyone at home knew, though. I never had friends at school; they all thought I was some sort of freak. My parents made me sick with their constant attention, like I'm made of glass. They would remind me that Helen Keller was both deaf and blind but became famous, and I want to scream at them.

I'm not Helen Keller, nor am I glass or a freak. I'm just Camryn; I'm just blind.

Wonder what happened last night?

I was walking home from my favorite coffee shop after school (I would rather sit there and eat bagels than sit at home listening to Helen and Annie Sullivan's miraculous adventures), and a bunch of thugs from my school came. They fought hard, and so did I; they cut my forehead. They all wore heavy cologne, so I couldn't tell who they were, and the awful smell remained after they left, so I never knew where they ran off to.

After that, I decided to just stay put until my face scabbed. Wouldn't want my parents fretting over me. Then I heard footsteps. I thought it was one of them, so I pulled out the knife one of them had dropped and cut the person's palms and cheek. Then the person spoke.

"Camryn… I'm Kim. Kim Curtis. I want to help you," she whispered in pain.

I then realized that Curtis was a safe name, and I dropped the knife and ran up to her in an embrace. She probably thought I did that out of relief, but it was to learn her scent. That's how I recognize people. She smelled like the woods.

She brought me to the hotel she was staying at, and she slept on the couch, therefore giving me the bed. I could feel the springs in the mattress snap as I shifted.

In the car, the one who smelled like cherry blossoms… Onyx, I think his name is, said that we were going back to when our grandfathers were our age and save the Cade and Winston family trees. It sounded absolutely crazy, but listening to Kim, Jeremy, and Lea discuss hotels in Paris, I reconsidered.


	18. Not the Answer I Was Looking For

February 1, 2012; 4:51 pm  
>Camryn's POV:<p>

_In the car, the one who smelled like cherry blossoms… Onyx, I think __his name is, said that we were going back to when our grandfathers __were our age and save the Cade and Winston family trees. It sounded __absolutely crazy, but listening to Kim, Jeremy, and Lea discuss hotels __in Paris, I reconsidered._

Kim's POV:

February 2, 2012; 11:49 am

I won't go into any detail about last night; I've been trying to forget about it all (even though it's extremely difficult). It took us hours on end to find a decent motel, and it took almost as long for me to get to sleep. There was one bed for the girls and one for the guys, and it was really uncomfortable. I had to keep reminding myself that it'll only get worse once everyone is recruited.

All of today, however, was spent entirely in the car and on the road. We hadn't even stopped yet. We were due at Connor's house in about an hour because I had started to see palm trees outside the passenger seat window. My gut, which was practically screaming for food, was telling me to say something to the boy sitting next to me. Without looking at him, I said,

"When do you think we'll get there?" in a rather monotone voice.

"I dunno; depends on the traffic," he replied in the same awkward manner. "At this rate, we'll be there in about an hour."

Heh. I was right.

Camryn held her hand up, and slapped my seat unexpectedly. I looked at her. Her facial expression didn't change. That girl was quite bizarre.

"Yes, Cammie?" I asked, hoping for her to answer.

She then smiled and asked, "Kim, where are we now?"

"We're almost in Florida, Camryn. We have about an—"

"-Hour left; I understand," she said, cutting me off.

I gave her a puzzled look and turned away. That was awkward.

I glanced in the mirror at Jeremy and Lea, hoping to not see them being hateful towards each other. Luckily, they weren't, but although Lea was admiring the Florida scenery, Jeremy gawking at her as if she was instead admiring the battle of Gettysburg or something. What the hell did she do?

February 2, 2012; 1:05 pm

It took a little over an hour to get to the Winston house, thanks to some traffic, and I was aching to get out of that van. I know I shouldn't be complaining, but I was sitting next to the guy who likes me but I'm not sure if I do, with a weird little kid in the backseat in between two quarreling clowns. On top of that, I had barely any sleep the night before and I was starving.

When we pulled up to the little pink house (which surprised me, because this Dallas Winston's family), I spotted a kid whose features matched Granddad's description of Dally almost perfectly. Unlike his grandfather, though, his face showed sadness.

"That must be Connor," I heard Onyx say beside me. "I wonder if..."I knew he was going to say 'he's like me', but for some reason, he just faded into silence as he tugged out the key and hastily left. The rest of us approached Connor together, to find that Onyx had already introduced himself and was in the middle of explaining why we're here. Every once in a while, Camryn would nod absentmindedly or Lea and Jeremy would exchange angry glances, but I just stood there, not wanting to interrupt Onyx, as he rarely ever talked for this long.

Once he finished, I added, "We need you, Connor, and your granddad too. Please." the fact that I had spoken up to a stranger shocked me. What he said in response was the real shock, however.

"No," he said, shaking his head.


	19. Multi POV: Turmoil

**Author's Note:**** I'm just not doing the deadlines thing on a weekly basis anymore. Three stories and a busy life outside of FanFiction is just too much for me. Really sorry.**

**But I can tell you that next chapter will be in Ponyboy's POV!**

February 2, 2012; 1:05 pm

_The rest of us approached Connor together, to find that Onyx had already introduced himself and was in the middle of explaining why we're here. Every once in a while, Camryn would nod absentmindedly or Lea and Jeremy would exchange angry glances, but I just stood there, not wanting to interrupt Onyx, as he rarely ever talked for this long. _

_Once he finished, I added, "We need you, Connor, and your granddad too. Please." the fact that I had spoken up to a stranger shocked me. What he said in response was the real shock, however. _

_"No," he said, shaking his head._

Kim's POV:

February 3, 2012; 9:19 am

I had spent the whole afternoon and evening arguing with Connor. He didn't back down until this morning.

So this meant that that day I saved us by recruiting Camryn early was completely wasted, and that's not at all good.

Onyx and Connor both have been having serious visions now, with them screaming and their eyes bleeding and everything. Lea was beyond scarred for life (she said so herself), and I think I am too. Despite all the awkwardness I've faced with him recently, seeing Onyx howl in severe pain like that made me feel both evil and helpless. Evil that I was letting this happen and helpless because I couldn't do anything to not let it happen. And I felt extra evil that I didn't really care about what happens to Connor (probably because he pretty much hates my guts now, so there really isn't a reason for me to care as of right now anyway).

So now we're on the road again. Not to New Hampshire yet, but to the airport, _then_ to New Hampshire, and then to Paris. If everything works with the plan.

Lea's POV:

Well, Connor's in. Didn't see that coming. Jeremy's leaving me alone, which is… I don't know anymore, actually. I want to say that's a good thing, but I don't feel like it. Jeremy's now looking at me like he hates me. Based on my performance at his house, I don't blame him.

But I don't want him to hate me.

Is that wrong?

Onyx's POV:

As we drove on, I felt pain. Hurt all over my body, especially behind my eyes, since they were just oozing blood. Connor's sore too, but I bet it's not like me.

I did discover something last night that definitely put my focus off of Kim. Kim…

Well, anyway, I literally left reality. Even though it was for a split second, my body just disintegrated. I thought I was dead, but then I came back as fast as I left. It really freaked me out.

I'm still beating myself up over Kim. I really messed up, and I can't help but feel awful when I look at her and she turns away with a vacant look on her face. I wish I knew what she was thinking. Maybe she would be in my arms now if I knew.

Jeremy's POV:

I'm trying. I really am. But Kim's all messed up, Onyx and Connor are legit_ bleeding their eyes out_, and Lea and I are stuck babysitting Camryn. I mean _really_? Kim's smart, Onyx's smart, and based on his debate with Kim (if you could call it that), Connor's smart, too. Sticking me with Lea is just plain _stupid_. For God's sake, she _threatened_ me. With a freakin' _knife_. Isn't that illegal?

I'm also suspicious of Camryn. She's a little weird. 'Nuff said; I don't wanna elaborate.

But really. Just wait until we get to New Hampshire, Kim. I've got a feeling that Sky, like usual, ain't gonna make this easy.


	20. Ponyboy's POV: The Unspoken Truth

**Author's Note****: After a long month or so, I've managed to write this next chapter. Unlike the others, this one required some research. I want to do Ponyboy justice, so I reread the book (for like the millionth time), and I watched the movie a few times again to be sure to get his voicing right. Sure, it's been a long time since we've heard from him (from the official source: the book), so I'm sort of evolving his voicing and attitude to fit his age, so please don't hate me if you think he's OOC. Just PM me and I'll fix anything later on in the sequel.**

**Speaking of the sequel, check out my page to learn more about it! Yes, this will be a trilogy. Any more questions or suggestions just PM me. Seriously. I don't get any mail whatsoever.**

**Yeah, this has been a long author's note, so I'm gonna award all you loyal readers with a nice, long chapter! (Well, as long as I can get it). Yes, this is the last one.**

**Enjoy!**

**P.S. This story has been rated T for a reason. It's not just for the language, must I remind you. You have been warned.**

Jeremy's POV:

February 3, 2012; 9:19 am

_But really. Just wait until we get to New Hampshire, Kim. I've got a feeling that Sky, like usual, ain't gonna make this easy._

Ponyboy's POV:

February 3, 2012; 12:48 pm

I'm ashamed of myself. I've made no progress with my manuscript since Kim left. I've read it over thousands of times, along with my other works, but they're all the same.

You know what makes them all the same?

The protagonist is either just like Dally or just like Johnny.

Kim was right. I did miss them. Probably more than I used too.

Speaking of my granddaughter (it was so bizarre calling her that, even now), I had called their school, alerting them that the girls weren't going to be in school for a while, thanks to a trip to see their cousins in Colorado (which is partly true). Susan had done the same for Onyx as well. Thank the lord there wasn't any suspicion.

With nothing else better to do, I went through that old box Lea showed Kim a few days ago. I skipped all of the old stuff, and when I got to one of the more recent albums, _Curtis Family Album, 1980 – 1990_, I couldn't help but look at it. As I flipped through the pages, I felt like I had rediscovered a hidden part of me, and I couldn't quite put my finger on it until I got to that one picture.

The picture was of my son, Richie, and his best friend Clover, after one of Richie's baseball games, the day he asked her to their first of many dates. They were both fourteen.

I then realized that that part of me was the two of them: Kim's parents, my son and daughter-in-law. They will always leave an awfully large hole in my heart, as they did with poor Kimberly.

Kimberly was starting to grow up to be just like them. As clever as Richie and as quiet as Clover. She was scaring me dearly, not only because of that, but because I would have to tell her the truth once she got back.

Only Clover died on the plane. Some virus I no longer remember got to her before the plane landed. It broke Richie's heart, and that's when he turned to the pills. I didn't figure it out until it was too late. I got home from the editor's to find blood on the carpet and gagging coming from the bathroom.

By the time I got to him, he looked me straight in the eye and said, "Dad, I can't live without her. Protect Kimmie for me." I tried to call for an ambulance from my big old cellular phone, but by the time they picked up he was dead. Right in front of me.

All this time I couldn't bring myself to tell Kim what had really happened. I always had an excuse for it; either she was too young or she couldn't handle it. She probably still couldn't handle the news, but she deserved to know what killed her parents.

I looked at the photo again, examining Richie and Clover's faces. In them, I saw Kim.

I knew that I was a grown man and all, but I couldn't help but let the tears fall silently down my face.

_To be continued_


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